Restraining device



Dec. 29, 1953 J. A. HEYMANS RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1952 INVENTOR. Jose/24 4. A/EVMAA/S Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to restraining devices of the type employed by law enforcement agencies, hospitals and ambulance attendants, in restraining patients or other persons who are temporarily violent in nature.

Restraining devices of the type known as strait jackets have been employed for many years to prevent violent persons from injuring others or harming themselves but such devices are difficult to place in position on a violent person who resists efiorts to place him in the strait jacket. Strait jackets and devices of that type require that the arms of the violent person be installed into sleevelike parts of the device and it is diflicult to hold a violent person while placing his arms in such sleeves without causing injury to the violent person and without allowing him to injure others.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide an improved form of restraining device which does not require that the arms of the violent person be inserted into sleeves.

Another object is to provide such a device which may be readily placed in position on a violent person with a minimum of effort and yet which device when in place effectively restrains the subject in the manner of a strait jacket.

Another object of my invention is to provide a restraining device which requires only a minimum of force to be used upon the violent person.

Still another object is to provide such a device for the preventing of escape of prisoners.

A more detailed object is to provide a restraining device which is efiective in operation, easy to carry and apply and particularly well suited for economical manufacture on a quantity basis.

Other and more detailed objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation showing a preferred form of my invention.

Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 rolled in the shape of a torus prior to installation over the head of a violent person.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation showing the manner of holding the restraining device down against attempts of the violent person to remove it.

Referring to the drawings, the restraining device generally designated Hl comprises a sleeveless garment l I, which may be formed of canvas or other durable material. The garment is tubular in shape, open at the bottom 12 and having an opening 13 at the upper end to receive the head and neck of the subject. The restraining device [0 is capable of being rolled into the form of a ring or torus M as shown in Figure 2 in order that it may be quickly applied over the head of the subject. When so applied, the canvas material quickly unrolls from the form shown in Figure 2 to the subject-restraining position shown in Figure 1.

Means are provided along the length of the garment H for constricting the garment about the wearer after it has been placed in position. As shown in the drawings, this means includes a plurality of cinching devices generally designated l5. Any desired number of these laterally extending cinching devices may be employed. In the particular form of the garment shown in Figure l, a belt I6 is attached to the garment at H and engages a buckle 18. The belt I6 effects a snug fit of the garment about the shoulders of the wearer, depending upon his size. One or more of these assemblies I5 may be employed on the front or back of the garment, or both. The belt 20 may be attached to the garment at 2! and the buckle l9 attached by suitable means, not shown. After the garment H is placed in position, the belt I6 is cinched up to further assist in minimizing movement of the arms of the subject. Belts 20 may be employed on the front or rear of the garment as desired.

A hold-down member generally designated 2! is preferably provided to pass under the crotch of the subject to prevent him from raising the garment and removing it over his head. As shown in the drawings, this hold-down member 2| comprises a strap 22 anchored to the garment at 23 and provided with a releasable hook 24 at its free end. The hook 24 is adapted to pass between the legs of the subject and engage one of the rings 25 secured on the back side of the garment.

If desired, cords can be strung through the grommets 26 and 21 at opposite ends of the garment for further securing the garment in position on violent subjects.

The restraining device I 0 is rolled into the ring shape shown in Figure 2 when not in use. The cinching devices l5 and the hold-down member 2| are placed extended in a direction transverse of the length of the garment while the garment is being rolled up into the rings shape. In this way these appurtenances do not interfere with the rolling of the garment material into the ring shape.

when it is necessary to subdue or take into custody a violent person, the ring shaped device of Figure 2 is lowered quickly over the head of the subject, preferably from behind. A minimum of force is used on the subject and once the garment is in place the problem of subduing him is materially improved since he cannot make use of his hands and arms. The cinching devices 15 are tightened and the hold-down member 2| is latched in place. If necessary, ropes or cords in the grommets 26 and 21 are tightened so that the garment l I is firmly secured in place.

Additional straps, hooks or snaps 28 may be mounted on the garment II, as shown, to assist in fastening the garment to a bed or stretcher.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth but my invention is of 1. In a restraining device of the class described, I

a sleeveless garment open at the lower end and having an opening at the upper end to receive the head and neck of a subject, the garment having no other openings, whereby the arms of the subject are confined within the garment, cinching devices mounted on the outer surface of the, earment and spaced longitudinally thereon, the cinching devices being operable to tighten the garment laterally about the arms and torso of the subject, the material of the garment and the location of the cinching devices enabling the garment to be rolled into a ring shape with said openin in the center for installation over the head of the subject.

2. In a restraining device of the class described, a sleeveless garment open at the lower end and having an opening at the upper end to receive the head and neck of a subject, the garment having no other openings, whereby the arms of the subject are confined within the garment, at least one cinching device mounted on the outer surface of the garment and operable to tighten the garment laterally about the arms of the subject, and a flexible detachable hold-down member mounted on the garment and adapted to be extended under the crotch of the subject for preventing upward removal of the garment, the material of the gar ment and the location and flexibility of the cinching device and hold-down member enabling the garment to be rolled into a rin shape with said opening in the center for installation over the head of the subject.

3. In a restraining device of the class described, a sleeveless garment open at the lower end and having an opening at the upper end to receive the head and neck of a subject, the garment having noother openings, whereby the arms of the subject are confined within the garment, the garment being rolled from the open lower end to form a ring with the opening in the center thereof, the garment having at least one cinching device mounted on the outer surface thereof, the cinching device being operable after unrolling of the garment to tighten the garment laterally about the arms and torso of the subject, a flexible detachable hold-down member also mounted on the outer surface of the garment and adapted, when the garment is unrolled, to be extended under the crotch of the subject for preventing upward removal of the garment, and means for securing the hold-down member in operative position.

JOSEPH A. HEYMANS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Scott June 10, 1924 OTHER REFERENCES Number 

